A down-ballot candidate from the right throws a wrench into the Indiana governor’s race

Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana is about as Republican as a state can be. Donald Trump won there by 16 points in 2020, and Indiana residents haven’t elected a statewide Democrat since 2012. But signs of concern have emerged late in the game for U.S. Sen. Mike Braun, the state’s Republican nominee for governor. Friction between Braun and his controversial running mate has given an unexpected boost to their underdog opponents with only about a week to go. Micah Beckwith is a pastor and self-proclaimed Christian nationalist who finessed his way onto next month’s ballot as the GOP candidate for lieutenant governor. His brand of conservatism has complicated the race by forcing Braun to discuss Beckwith’s views.